To buy a coffee truck in Thailand, start by setting a realistic build budget: THB 450,000–1,200,000 for a new turnkey unit or THB 200,000–450,000 for a used truck plus THB 150,000–400,000 conversion. Choose a road-legal base (1–1.5 ton pickup or small van) and use a licensed fabricator so the Department of Land Transport can record the modification in the vehicle book after inspection. Fit service-oriented specs: 3 kW+ inverter or a quiet 3–5 kVA generator, 100–200 L fresh water and equal waste, stainless prep, 1.2–1.5 m service window, fire extinguisher, LPG certificate if using gas. Equipment: 2-group espresso (THB 60,000–250,000), 9–12 L/h water heater, 12–15 bar pump, grinder with 64 mm burrs, POS with QR and PromptPay. Permits: local municipality food-vending license, food hygiene certificate, commercial vehicle insurance (Class 1), and location permission for markets, office parks, or campuses. In Bangkok, prioritize private sites; daily pitch fees run THB 300–2,000. Coffee economics: wholesale beans THB 600–1,000/kg yield ~90–120 espressos; target cup COGS 18–35 THB and sell at 55–120 THB. Menu should skew iced and sweet. Source trucks/builders on Kaidee, Facebook groups, and Food Truck Club Thailand; aim for a 6–10 week build and a generator noise test before launch day.
